Switch-operating mechanism



2 Shets-Sheet 1,.

. K. -MANSFIELD SWITCH OPERATING MBGHANISVM.

(No Mndel.)

Patented July 10,1888.

www d *d (No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2. A. K. MANSPIELD.

SWITGHTOPERATING MBGHANISM.

- No. 886,020. n. 138888888811151 1o, 1888.

ndex-071 s UNITED STATES PATENT `l"-(heinein. f

'pgALnnu'r KY..MANsFIELD, 0F. carence, `IIQIJNOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 386,020, dated July10, 1888.

"' Apnnnnnon mea any 7,1887. serial No. 243,703. (No modelli i To @ZZwhom/,it 72mg/ concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT K. MANsFInLD,

my improvements are to render it possible for trains to run through suchswitches safely, either from-main "track or from siding, without firstopening the switch by hand; to communicate motion from the switch to theguardrails in such way as to make the latter more effective; to operatea semaphre-signal.

from tirel vertical' 'signal-shaft ofthe switch` stand; to simplify themanner of supporting the signal when it is placed high above the ground,and to otherwise improve the construction of 'such mechanism. I attainthese objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- -Figure 1 is a vertical section of the switchstand proper. ofthesame. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the guard-rail stand ormechanism connecting guard-railswith switch. Fig. 4 is a partial section'of the mechanism operating signal and vlamp at'the top of thehigh-'signal stand. Fig.A

. 5 is section showing an alternativeV construcwith the rollersF F.,These rollers are plv-gi 4 5 \J,whic h' latter are formed k:in the maincasting;

A` The segment D also-contains the two pivotl rod L, connecting switchto stand, maybe pivf tion of the device shown in Fig. 4:, and Fig.. 6

is a perspective view of the complete device. e Similar letters referlto similar parts kin allr the views. v Y

The main casting of the swltclrstand 1s com- 'posed of the two parts A,and B, the latter being 'a cover lortop piece carryingabearing forthevertical shaft G. 'j- 'zv vD is a segment of a bevel gear, formed onthe hubof which is the cam E,which engages oted to the followers GG,.'which are actedl on by the springsH H, inclosed in the pockets J"holes K K, toeither of which the-connectingoted.)

M isa bevel-.pinion meshing with ther seg; ment D, andpreferably madesothat it forms switch may be opened orv closed.

Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectionl -its own hollow shaft or stud, as shown.On

the outer endofthe pinion isfastened thecollar N, to which is suitablypivoted the handleverO` in, suchmann'er'that the-lever may,

when notin use, bes'wung around in line with the axis of the pinion andlocked iu that'position withfthe Ypadl'ockjR'por by other suitablemeans. When itis desired to use the lever, it is unlocked'and then.swungthrough ninety degrees yto aposition at rightangles tozthe axis ofthe pinion, whenby throwing it (thelever) th roughA one hundred andeighty degrees the At the top ofthe vertical shaft Gis the castboXQ` inwhich are 4formed bearings for the bevel-segments R and S, the latterbeing fitted tothe top of the shaft-C ai'idcarrying therontaugular-shaped support T. to receive asignallamp, while the segmentR carries an arm,V, to which is fastened the semaphore-blade W. Thesesegments R and S are so proportioned thataquarter of a revolution of theshaft C produces a sixth of a, revolution or other suitable movementofthe semaphore-signal. The box Q is supported by a diagonali-y` bracedstructure consistingof the combination of thc shaft C, ladderfX, andbraces Y Y, allof which are supported on suitable foundations.- Thebraces and the sidesof. thc ladder are made of 8c l .iron pipe, whichisflspeciaily suitable, from its stiffnessandmfromithe ease with whichconnections maybe made..l i

Instead/of' the semaphore-signal a revolving signal, Z, lof any suitable.forni and at any `desired height from'the ground may be applied to theshaftl G; lfVheu the signalis near the ground, thebox Q and all itssupporting partsv are dispensed with. When the signal (scm'-I phore)isaway from the ground, but,v not so .far as' to require a ladder toreach it, the construction of Fig. 5i's used, in which the .boi Q `ris.supported by means', of.apiece of pipe, A', lwhich is proper]yfastenmltothe top B of the stand, and which surrounds the signal-shaft C. B is acast-box containing the Spursegments C and 'gear D', whichA mesh witheach other.

The segment C has'the arm E", to which is'pivoted the connectingrod F',-whilc the gear DY carries a stud; G', to which is pivotcd theconneeting-rod H'. The conncctingrod H is counected to the movableguard-rails J J', which ICO are suifably tied together and arranged toturn about thc'r heels or ends farthest from the switch. about ninetydegrees bythe movement of the switch. The gear D' is made of such si'zethat it is turned through about two hundred and seventydegrees by thesegment. The result is, (the positions of the pivotal connections ofconnecting-rods to gears being chosen asshown in Fig. 3,) any force ofthe wheels of a passing train acting against the guard-rails becomes aforce acting iu the` sannev direction in each of the connectingrods FandH. The guard rails arc,as their name implies.' usedto protect the pointsof the switch. ,Todo this properly either guard when in action shouldst-andat propenguarding'distance `from its adjacent.

main rail-ibut is, it should be sofar-from the main rail as to allowtheciianges of wheels to pass freely between rail` andguardand yet sonear asto hold the fiangesof wheels which run on the `other mainrailover awayfrom that rail to keep them from running against orfrubbingagainst the switch-point. `It will thus be seen that the guard in actionis the one opposite the switch-rail in action--that is, the switchrailwhich'is lying against its main rail. Therefore inthrowing-ihe switchAover the guard and switch must move in opposite directions.'

Yet, as will be seen from Fig. 3, the guard receives a slight movementinthe same direction asthe movement of the` switch lbefore moving acrossto its new posit-ion. This is occasioned bythe fact that thepivotconnection of the fred H with the gear G is carried by the movementof the driving -segment C through threefourths of a revolution or aboutonc-cig`hth of a revolution past either deadceutcr. The result is thatany force tending to press `theguard-rail away from itsniaiu rail tendsalso to revolve t'negear G in the direction inwhich it last moved, whichin turn tends to move the switch in the 'direction in which it lastmovedthat is, to force it farther home.

The switch shown in Fig.` 6' is of the kind known as Ja split or Lorenzswitch.A

Guard-rails have heretofore been used before the points of suchswitches, vbut have been stationary and therefore not','effective, forthe function of a guard is to move the wheels away from the mainrailfoppo'site the guard, and manifestly two stationary guards cannotmove the wheels at the Sametime"away'from each main rail.

By the arrangement shown each switch-rail is protectedrwhenitis inactionand the guardrail is 'moved away from the side where it would-not beuseful.' The movement of the` guard to accomplish this is quite small,being only about one and a half inch. This arrangement notonly makes Vitsafer' to run` againstthe points of split switches, but increases thelife of such switches by `reducing flange-wear at their points.` y Ifpreferred, one guard-rail ouly'ma-y be used, and the mechan-Y ism shownmayin any case be modified in va- The segment C is moved through Iprefer the construction shown, howthat if one spring becomes broken theotherV remains in action.' Moreover, friction is much reduced byapplying two equal springs acting opposite to each other, for frictionof the shaft in its bearings,which would be caused by one spring, isentirclyieliminated by the other. The rollers F may also be dispensedwith by allowing `the followers G to engage directly with the cam E. l

The mechanism conmeeting-switchv to guard `may easily be embodied in theswitch-stand,

if preferred; o r the-guard may be operated by entirely independentmechanism,` Morcover, it is not essential that the signal-lamp bemounted on the shaftG. It may be held on some stationary .supportprovided for it, and lenses or glasses be moved before it.

The stiffness of the springs H H and the shape of the cam E are suchthat when the lever O is locked in its dead position the switch cannotin any Way bethrown by hand. A. train, however, running throughtheclosed trailing switch, either from side or lmain track, will, by thewell-understood action of the anges of the first wheels of the train,

IOO

throw the switch nearly over, when the movement will be completed andthe switch held to its new position by the action of the springs andcam.

What I claim as my invention isl.. ln combination with the two rails ofa main track and the nfovable point-rail of a split switch, a movableguard rail, which, when the switch-rail lies in action against its mainrail, stands at suitable guarding distance from the other main rail,andwhen the switchrail is out of action the guard-rail is beyond guardingdistance from its main rail, together with connecting mechanism,substantially as" set forth.`

:2. In combination, a movable split switch, a movable guard, the generaldirection of whose motion from one extreme position to the ,other isopposite tof-the :direction of 'motion of the switch, but the`first-increment of whose motion is in the same direction as the motionof the switch,and connecting mech'- an-ism between switch and guard,substantially as described. y 1w. 0 (y v 3.1' The combinatiomof splitswitchS, guard J,switch.crank E', havingazinovement of less than haifa'circle, guard-crank G', having a movementfof ,more than half a` circle,and coni necting parts, substantially asset forth.

4.A In a'switch-stand, the segmental gear 1),' carrying the crank K andthe cam E and attached to the vertical revolvingA shaftC, in combinationwith horizontal lever-.shaft O,

:mme a spring H, andconn'ectin'g parts, substantially Q, the inclinedtubular braces' Y Y, extendas set forth. A ing from the foundation to ahigh point of the v 5. rIn alswitchstan, the combination'of a ladder,-th'e switehfstandA, supporting the 15 shaft making about one-fourth ofa. revolu-l loweend of shaft C, theoperating-levenO,

5 tion with a shaft making about one-half a revthe switeh S, andConnecting parts, substanolntion, a. hinged operating-leveren and'artially as set forth.

rangedl to be locked in line with the axis of- In testimony whereof Ihereunto subscribe thelztttex1 shaft, and connecting parts, snbstanmyname.

tially as set forth. l Y ALBERT K. MANSFIELD. v ro 6.; In combination,theyertical revolving l Witnesses: l

shaft C, having its upper bearing inthe box l ALLAN L. BENNETT,

Q, the iixed inclined ladde X,1supporting'box .CHAMPION I. HITCHCOCK.

